Ex-Aide Details a Loss of Faith in the President  —  In 1999, Matthew Dowd became a symbol of George W. Bush's early success at positioning himself as a Republican with Democratic appeal.  —  A top strategist for the Texas Democrats who was disappointed by the Bill Clinton years …

Ministers seek deal with Iran for captives  —  Ministers are preparing a compromise deal to allow Iran to save face and release its 15 British military captives by promising that the Royal Navy will never knowingly enter Iranian waters without permission.  —  The Sunday Telegraph has learnt …

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES  —  Pope John Paul II One Step Closer to Sainthood?  ; Church Using Sex to Sell God; Keeping Your Pets Safe; Confectionary Christ Raises Controversy; Selling Religion With Sex?  —  THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT.  THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

Christopher Booker's notebook  —  It's time Defra tried a bit of mud-slinging  —  Last week a Commons committee produced as damning a report on a Government department as anyone could remember.  After investigating the incredible shambles made by the Department for Environment …

The Rovian Era  —  Turn over a scandal in Washington these days and the chances are you'll find Karl Rove.  His tracks are everywhere: whether it's helping to purge United States attorneys, coaching bureaucrats on how to spend taxpayers' money to promote Republican candidates …

President's Radio Address  —  THE PRESIDENT: Good morning.  In recent days, the House and Senate each passed emergency war spending bills that undercut our troops in the field.  Each of the Democrats' bills would substitute the judgment of politicians in Washington for that of our generals on the ground.

The Complicated Power of the Vote to Nowhere  —  SO it's yes to timetables for Iraq, both the House and the Senate have now said.  But don't schedule the welcome-home parades yet.  —  For a start, the two very different spending bills passed in the last 10 days have yet to be reconciled …

Kossacks blast Michelle's criticism of the chocolate Jesus double standard  —  The post is silver but the comments are gold.  I'll leave you to scroll through, but let's preserve this for posterity: … Never mind his assumption that secular media organizations should internalize Islamic standards of public discourse.

The Crier Wire: If George Were King!  —  Catherine Crier has some really good monologues at the end of her show and this was one of them.  She takes a look at Bush's abuse of power  —  Download (3338) |  Play (2987) Download (1332) |  Play (1914)

Pelosi Plans Trip to Syria Next Week  —  White House Says Speaker's Damascus Visit Sends the Wrong Message  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will visit Syria next week, her office announced yesterday, prompting the White House to call the trip "a really bad idea."